The 11 Best Songs to Listen to in August

Where did July go? The weather may still be hot enough to melt your popsicle, even if you're inside, but the end of summer is nigh. Luckily there's new music from Kesha, Fifth Harmony, and even Girls Generation (eeeee!) to power up all your August days, whether you're at the beach or at your desk. Here are 11 songs you'll be listening to all August long.

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Kesha, "Learn to Let Go"

After a few very tough years, Kesha is finally ready to be back in the spotlight, finally on her own terms—and the world is thrilled to have her back. Her rapturous latest single "Learn to Let Go," complete with Day-Glo music video, shows that Kesha is determined not to let the past define her. She'll continue to reclaim her voice when the new album Rainbow comes out August 11.

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EMA, "Down and Out"

Back in 2011, Erika M. Anderson, a.k.a. EMA, got us dreamin' of the West Coast with her beautifully brusque takedown of The OC culture in "California." She's back at her brand of cultural critique again on her new single "Down and Out," which skewers how we assign value to both objects and people. The gimlet-eyed song is a preview of her third LP, Exile in the Outer Ring, out August 25.

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Fifth Harmony feat. Gucci Mane, "Down"

Fifth Harmony may be down to four members, but the absence of Camila Cabello hasn't stopped them in their tracks, as proven by post-Cabello single "Down." Just try to keep up with those coordinated dance moves as the remaining members mine the same vein that gave us the mega-hit "Work From Home" —and strike gold once more. Can't wait to hear what they have in store when their self-titled album drops on August 25.

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Iron & Wine, "Thomas County Law"

Draw yourself a bath, fill it with scented oils, and pour out a big old glass of wine, because Iron & Wine is finally back with a new album—and it's a perfect soundtrack for some quality alone time. On "Thomas County Law," Sam Beam and co. flood the speakers with the gentle melodies and grandiose-yet-intimate songs you've been missing. This triumphant, guitar-laden ditty will make you count the endless numbered days until the new album, Beast Epic, hits stores on August 25.

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Filthy Friends, "The Arrival"

Based on their song "The Arrival," the new supergroup from Sleater-Kinney's Corin Tucker and REM's Peter Buck is fuelled by pure adrenaline. The band, which also features Pacific Northwest rockers Scott McCaughey, Kurt Bloch, and Bill Rieflin, puts out rapid-fire, politically driven, no-holds-barred rock that feels both cathartic and like it can get you through the last few minutes of your workout. Crank it up when their debut album, Invitation, comes out August 25.

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The War on Drugs, "Strangest Thing"

So far, the songs that The War on Drugs have teased from their new album don't all fit into any one category. First there was the mercurial 11-minute track "Thinking of a Place," followed by "Holding On," which is straight out of the 1980s Bruce Springsteen playbook. Most recently they've given us the cosmic country tune "Strangest Thing." Luckily, the band is really darn good at making beautiful music, whatever genre it may be, meaning that A Deeper Understanding, out on August 25, will be a thrilling kind of mystery box.

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Girls Generation, "Holiday Night"

On August 7, South Korean K-Pop legends Girls Generation are releasing a brand new album to mark their 10th anniversary. (That sound you hear right now is 3 million K-Pop fans screaming in anticipation.) Holiday Night will feature ten genre-spanning songs showcasing everything that made this group a global sensation, including the buzzy double title tracks "Holiday" and "All Night." The label hasn't released any songs yet, but the tiny teasers available on YouTube have already racked up millions of views. Keep an ear out.

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Grizzly Bear, "Neighbors"

With fans and accolades aplenty, Grizzly Bear are an indie rock institution with nothing left to prove. They aren't taking it easy, though—everything we've heard so far from their new album, Painted Ruins, out August 18. Recent offering "Neighbors" is a wistful epistle of heartbreak, full of swooning, layered instrumentation and beautiful imagery. So, business as usual for the Brooklyn-based band.

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Frankie Rose, "Red Museum"

Frankie Rose is aiming for the stars on Cage Tropical, which will come out on August 11. The ex-Dum Dum Girls and Vivian Girls performer will return with a sci-fi-themed romp inspired by '80s space flicks and John Carpenter soundtracks. One song even features the phone number for a UFO hotline. Of course, even space travelers need someone to cuddle with, so tracks like "Red Museum" explore what it's like to be a paranoid android in love.

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BOSCO, "Cruel"

Between the return of Tamagotchis and Clearly Canadian on the store shelves, it's clear that—for better or worse—the '90s are back. Atlanta chanteuse BOSCO reminds us of all the good parts of that decade, when Sade and Janet Jackson were on the radio and sultry R&B was the standard. BOSCO channels the slinkiness of both in her simmering new track, "Cruel," which is a tantalizing hint of the goodness in store from her upcoming b. project, out on August 11.

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Downtown Boys, "Lips That Bite"

Downtown Boys are a force of (political) nature. On their savage new track, "Lips That Bite," the band stands their ground and makes their point with a ferocious beat and driving melody. The Rhode Island band's forthcoming album, Cost of Living (August 11), was produced by punk icon Guy Picciotto of Fugazi, and plays like a series of fight songs, sparking with enough energy to fuel your protest for years to come.

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